When this happens, one party in the relationship inevitably feels
as though he is being attacked. Both people get defensive and
begin to feel resistance toward one another.

When both parties are being fueled by this emotional standpoint,
nothing positive is accomplished. This is the time to step back
and start the conversation over before things crumble too
quickly.

2. Remember the main issue at hand

When you’re engaged in a heated conflict, you often get emotional
and forget that the goal is to solve a problem.

When you get emotional, you bring a personal agenda into the
conversation. You want to be right, meaning someone else has to
be wrong. This solves nothing and exacerbates the problem.

The best thing is to avoid making others feel as though they are
wrong.

Instead, really take a look at the cause of the problem you are
trying to solve and approach the problem as the enemy, not your
co-worker. This way, you can analyze a situation with your
emotional blinders off.

3. Things are different when it's your
boss

The rules of communication change between an employee and a
superior. In that situation, you have to realize that viewing
another person as “wrong” is a big problem – for you.

We are all human beings. We are physical, emotional, and
intellectual, and when it comes right down to it, we all want the
same things.

This is important to keep in mind when in conflict with anyone,
but especially when you are in conflict with your superior.